On their first day as being regular citizens after eight years in the White House, Barack and Michelle Obama said they would focus their energies on their foundation to facilitate projects “all over the city, the country and the world”.

Former president Barack Obama with wife Michelle on the front steps of the US Capitol after Donald Trump’s inauguration as the new US president on January 20, 2017 in Washington, DC.(AFP)

On their first day as being regular citizens after eight years in the White House, Barack and Michelle Obama said they would focus their energies on their foundation to facilitate projects “all over the city, the country and the world”.

Reactivating his personal Twitter account, former US president Barack Obama said the couple would get back to work after a short vacation.

Hi everybody! Back to the original handle. Is this thing still on? Michelle and I are off on a quick vacation, then we’ll get back to work.

“In the meantime, I want to hear what you’re thinking about the road ahead. So share your ideas with me here,” Obama tweeted with a link to the Obama foundation website, where he and Michelle had recorded a video message about what comes next for them.

“After eight years in the White House, Michelle and I now rejoin all of you as private citizens,” Obama said in the message.

“We want to thank you once again from the bottom of hearts for giving us the incredible privilege of serving this country that we love.”